It was mentioned ...
> We amateurs need to connect with, mentor to and volunteer
> for cube sat and pico sat efforts that are being initiated
> at the university level.
Hmmm, sounds close to what was discussed at the October Board of Director's
meeting and early information released on www.amsat.org ... and the ANS news
bulletins ... and more details coming via the AMSAT Journal ... plenty
already going on the university front!
[From the current amsat web page]
Key University Space Projects Under Development
Barry Baines, WD4ASW, AMSAT President reported at the Annual Meeting that
the Board of Directors has agreed to participate in two exciting
University-based cooperative programs.
* First, AMSAT is having serious discussions with the University of
Florida, Gainesville to locate the AMSAT Lab on campus. This will put our
lab in a state of the art engineering facility. This is also the home of the
UF SwampSat CubeSat development team.
* The Board of Directors has agreed to partner with SUNY-Binghamton and
the IBM Systems Engineering Integration Center to mentor senior level
engineering students for the development of the NextGen CubeSat as their
'capstone' engineering project. Projects at SUNY-Binghamton are planned to
initially address the development of deployable solar cells and super
capacitor power systems.
[From the AMSAT News Service posted after the BoD meeting and Symposium]
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-291.01
AMSAT Says "We're Going Back to Space"
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 291.01
>From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
October 18, 2009
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-291.01
The Board of Directors has adopted the Engineering Task Force
recommendation that low-cost launch options be immediately pursued.
The AMSAT engineering team will develop a 1U CubeSat design effective
immediately. Tony Monteiro, AA2TX, Vice-President of Engineering said,
"We are recommending an approach that gets AMSAT back up in space with
new satellites by leveraging the skills and technology we have today."
The new AMSAT CubeSat's initial capability is planned to add to the
popular low-earth orbit FM transponder fleet allowing hams to continue
to use their existing handheld and portable antenna systems. This also
allows an accessible entry path for new satellite operators to get
started. The existing FM satellites are starting to show their age.
The flight version of ARISSat-1 has been developed to fit into the
CubeSat model. AMSAT's flexible Software Defined Transponder (SDX),
simplified IHU, power control subsystem, external interfaces to ex-
perimental payloads and cameras will now allow a modular approach to
mission design using proven subsystems and components. The ARISSat-1
mission planned in 2010 will be the initial flight test of AMSAT's
modular satellite.
Here are some of the highlights ...
+ AMSAT will develop comparable AO-51 level of performance packaged
into a 1U CubeSat. This includes a U-V transponder, V telemetry,
U command receiver, IHU, power control. This can be done with our
modular design.
+ This will be a U/V FM Transponder, not done before in a 1U CubeSat,
which can be worked with a HT and a simple antenna. CubeSat power
limitations are planned to be addressed through research and devel-
opment of deployable solar-cells.
+ AMSAT will make our open-design satellite modules and technology
available for other satellite teams to build into their missions.
+ This new approach will provide a reliable radio link for future
CubeSats allowing university teams to concentrate on their scientific
objectives.
+ The modular nature of the AMSAT CubeSat system will allow add-on
missions utilizing several different types of modulation and band-
width. These can be pursued with future low-cost CubeSat launch
opportunities.
AMSAT President, Barry Baines, WD4ASW Annual Meeting Powerpoint
Presentation has been posted at http://www.amsat.org
[ANS thanks the AMSAT Board of Directors for the above information]
/EX
SB SAT @ AMSAT $ANS-291.02
AMSAT, IBM, SUNY-Binghamton Announce NextGen CubeSat Development
AMSAT News Service Bulletin 291.02
>From AMSAT HQ SILVER SPRING, MD.
October 18, 2009
To All RADIO AMATEURS
BID: $ANS-291.02
AMSAT will work with a university student engineering team to
develop the NextGen Cubesat.
NextGen Program Manager, Alex Harvilchuck, N3NP introduced this new
program at the AMSAT Symposium. Alex revealed program goals and its
initial plans with a paper in the Proceedings and presentations to
the AMSAT Board of Directors and to the attendees during Symposium
sessions.
NextGen consists of AMSAT volunteer mentors working with IBM Global
Services Systems Engineering Division, and SUNY-Binghamton (also
called University of Binghamton) senior level engineering students
participating in their 'capstone' engineering project.
Alex summarized the NexGen program goals:
+ Intial analysis of ARISSat-1, documenting the systems, and analysis
